Professionalism: Part I--Introduction and being a role model.

(Fam Med 2004;36(5):314-5.) Editor’s Note: This month’s column begins a two-part series on the office-based teaching and assessment of professionalism. In Part I, George D. Harris, MD, MS, of the Department of Community and Family Medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City defines key aspects of medical professionalism and discusses how the office-based teacher can role model professionalism in today’s challenging health care environment. I welcome your comments about this feature, which is also published on the STFM Web site at www.stfm.org. I also encourage all predoctoral directors to make copies of this feature and distribute it to their preceptors (with the appropriate Family Medicine citation). Send your submissions to [email protected]. William Huang, MD, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, 3701 Kirby, Suite 600, Houston, TX 77098-3915. 713-798-6271. Fax: 713798-7789. Submissions should be no longer than 3–4 double-spaced pages. References can be used but are not required. Count each table or figure as one page of text.